Airports in the News – Spring 2019

Moscow Domodedovo Airport

Moscow Domodedovo Airport has partnered with animal rights charity Second Life to launch an initiative where passengers can interact with four therapy dogs to help relieve stress and anxiety before their flight. Moscow Domodedovo Airport created a dedicated area for the four canines which included a beagle named Fizzy, a husky named Nami and two mutts called Klepa and Lusha. All of the dogs live in families with children and have all the necessary medical records. Many people have a fear of flying or pre-flight anxiety and a dog therapist and their pet is an ideal way to help people cope with stress and getting ready to board.

Copenhagen Airport

Copenhagen Airport will engage its passengers in the development of the new security protocols at the airport. The planned improvements will eventually enable passengers to go through security without having to remove computers and liquids from their hand luggage. Until then, travellers and employees will test the new security equipment to help find the best solution for a new and future-proof security system. The system will be developed over the next couple of years using two dedicated lanes (23 and 24), where the airport will test two new lane designs. These lanes will be longer and have more packing stations to increase the number of passengers that can prepare for the improved screening process.

Belgrade Airport

Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport’s operator VINCI has awarded Terna, the wholly-owned subsidiary of Greece’s construction and real estate conglomerate GEK Terna, a €262 million contract for the construction and refurbishment of the airport’s facilities. The planned works include building new terminal facilities, a new 3,500 metre runway, nine new taxiways and the refurbishment of existing infrastructure. Furthermore, the project entails construction of auxiliary building facilities and other infrastructure works such as waste water and solid waste treatment plants, a heating plant, a meteorological station and a solar panel plant. All of the planned projects must be completed by 2024.

Murcia Airport

The King of Spain, Felipe VI, has inaugurated the Regional Airport of Murcia, at an event attended by various dignitaries, including Minister of Development, José Luis Ábalos, and the President of the Region of Murcia, Fernando López Miras. With an expected 3,000 passengers on its very first day, the new airport in the region of Murcia – now operated by Aena – will begin operations with 12 European routes. According to a study of socioeconomic and tourism impact prepared by the College of Economists in collaboration with the Polytechnic University of Cartagena, the airport will generate about €900 million for the regional economy, increasing the region’s GDP by 3 points, and adding 19,000 new jobs in 15 years.

Munich Airport

After a six-month makeover, the duty free shop on Level 5 in Munich Airport’s Terminal 2 has re-opened with the new MyDutyFree branding. The concept, idea and renovations were carried out by Munich Airport’s retail subsidiary in co-operation with the Gruschwitz design office. To provide a sense of local colour, the decor and signage in the new MyDutyFree shops reflect the character of some of Munich’s bestknown neighbourhoods. The new store is said to be inspired by Lehel, one of the city’s most picturesque districts and home to the world-famous English Garden and the ever-popular wakeboarding scene in the Eisbach stream. Along with a wealth of international labels, the new MyDutyFree shop offers a wide range of regional products.

Royal Schiphol Group

Royal Schiphol Group is investing in new electric ground equipment for aircraft handling and is now using several electric ‘ground power units’ (E-GPU). The E-GPUs provide aircraft on the ground with cleaner energy, as they replace the diesel variant of this equipment. Schiphol has designed the mobile E-GPUs in collaboration with ITW GSE and Nissan. Five of these units are now used by Schiphol. Eindhoven Airport, Rotterdam The Hague Airport and Brisbane Airport, in which Schiphol also has an interest, have each commissioned one E-GPU. The ‘Smart & Sustainable’ action plan, presented by the Dutch aviation industry in October 2018, sets various goals which include ensuring that the terminals, offices and ground operations of Dutch airports will be climate-neutral by 2030.

Athens International Airport

Athens International Airport (AIA) in collaboration with Toorbee set out to create the first app in Greece exclusively for Chinese travellers. The new AIΑ – Toorbee WeChat Miniapp offers Chinese travellers comprehensive information about airport services, products and offers, combined with information about “what happens” in the city of Athens, within a user-friendly digital environment in their own language. The App is available via WeChat Miniapp, the App Store of the main social network in China, boasting over 400 million monthly users, or through QR codes displayed in various prominent airport areas. Thanks to the new app, the airport makes a step closer to the Chinese market.

Stockholm Arlanda Airport

Swedavia, the company operating Swedish airports, has launched a new artificial intelligence (AI)-based chatbot at Stockholm Arlanda Airport, Swea. Swea can be accessed via the airport’s website or Facebook Messenger page, and is available around the clock to answer questions about flights, baggage arrival times, current waiting times at the security checkpoint and the range of goods and services available at the airport in English and Swedish. Passengers are able to sign up to the service so that updates are sent to them automatically. Swea will gradually refine its answers as it conducts more interactions with travellers.


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